Here For A Reason

Quando Rondo has been a consistent figure in rap since 2017, so it’s easy to overlook that at the time of his 2024 LP, *Here for a Reason*, the Savannah, Georgia, rapper was still only 25 years old. On the project, he shares the perspective of a young man far removed from his teenage years, yet still growing into the shoes of adulthood. He’s at times confident, other times confused, figuring out his place in the world as both a role model and student. His curiosity is inspiring, a willingness to learn that suggests fame at a young age didn’t corrupt him. On the album’s second track, “Gotta Do Better & Pray,” Rondo cues up a smoked-out soul beat and croons about the problems that plague him, neatly narrating from the perspective of his girl who knows something is wrong. “She know that I ain’t been the same since I lost my lil’ n\*\*\*a/On top of that I caught a case, they got me lost in the system/Been through so many heartbreaks, I got so much on my mental.” On “Grow Up,” though, he proudly flexes his wins over a glimmering piano line that gives the song some serious pep. Win, lose, or draw, Quando Rondo isn’t gonna shy away from his feelings.